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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · mark · lash · can · content · cold · chip · bass

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — an illness
  6. mark — a trace
  7. suit — to fit
  8. content — the amount
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bass — the fish
  13. chip — for betting
  14. can — to be able to
  15. content — happy
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bass — low music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — in cards
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com